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Mersey Bio show

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17 March 10

Yeah, all done. Well at least it is on my part anyway. Alison is dealing with everything else. We arranged the security blanket today, I’m really happy with the presentation. I forgot to put my contact details on the statements so Alison is going to add that for me. I’m starting to feel really nervous about it now, I know, even more than I was before. I’m really happy with it but I’m dreading having to talk about my work, I’m especailly worried that I’ll be asked something I can’t answer. Tomorrow I’m in work until 2 so atleast I’ll be kept busy. I’m really pleased that I’ve managed to get hold of most of my friends and they’re coming, it’s so nice to have their support.

I still haven’t printed my business cards, that’s the only job on my list now.

Contour Book

For this book I was experimenting with the idea of fusing the landscape with the human body. I was about to embark on a project trip to Utah and was planning ideas for a book.

Untitled Cell installation

These cells where produced by screen-printing from paper stencils. By using only two stencils to produce this work the printing process was very fast, completing all the cells images in one day. This printing process was used purposely to mimic the way cells multiply. The later process of cutting and gluing all the cells to become 3D weren’t quite as quick though!

Talking Landscapes

‘Mapping the West’ was a collaborative book project between WMC BA fine art print students and BYU students in Utah. We were given a map of the Escalante Region and a project brief. This asked us to produce a book whilst visiting Utah that would be based on a camping trip to Escalante with the BYU students. The books were required to open no larger than the map and when the pages were folded they should fold down to the size of the folded map.

I found the whole two week experience to be both challenging and exciting but especially the camping trip. With a visit to Bryce Canyon, the Petrified Forest, devils garden and a five mile hike to Calf Creek Canyon I experienced unusual places and new landscapes, new foods, new friendships and a whole range of feelings.

Talking landscapes is about my experience of this journey and my adventure. The book fuses together the topography of this astonishing environment with the contours of the body and with our on the road conversations that took place over the length of the camping trip to Escalante. Mostly meaningless snippets to anyone else, that is full of memories for me.

I’m exhausted, the good news is that’s it’s fitting together well and Alison and I got most of the work up today. We’ve got more work to do tommorrow but it’s looking good. Alison has been taking photos along the way.

The Cumulus Cells are hanging beneath the staircase with the pods to the side of them. The cabinet has an installation in the bottom of it and has been combined with ‘flesh’. I also have several books on show and several prints/paintings.

I’ve been in work today so haven’t had much time to get anything done, but this evening I’m still writing the statements as well as having the odd treat of framing some work! Tommorrow Alison is picking me up with all my work and we’re going to start installating it, I just hope two days is long enough to get it all done in.

Clinging to life

This project is based on the way blood carries oxygen around our bodies. Each print is held together by wire and when I was planning this work I was interested in the space left inside and between the prints, invisible, untouchable and unable to exist without surrounding structure

Cut Cell Books

‘Cut Cell Books’ have been formed using a concertina format with each page showing part of a design that makes up the overall image of the book. ‘Cut cell Books’ are based on fat cells and make up an over all image of perfection but have deliberately imperfect layers.

Growth and regeneration series

This work is based on lung tissue. I simplified the subject matter, using it as a basic design that was cut away from sheets of card, the cut area left in the card was used to create layers that taper as they recess. The shadows that are cast are what make the delicate images noticeable. Each of the four images differs slightly showing growth and regeneration.

I think I’m nearly done, I still need to print my buisness cards and I’ve just remembered some work that I haven’t done write ups for but they’ll have to wait until tommorrow. I’ll write them as soon as I get back from Mersey Bio and then I’ll email them to Alison.

I’ve had a lovely time with my family and now I feel refreshed and ready to start again.

All that is left Series

This work is about the relationship I have with my sister. The project started as portraits of us. They resembled us but didn’t represent us and seemed superficial.

To become something that would be about our life long relationship, kinship and our blood ties I have cut the portraits up and reordered them to form this series. Rearranging the portraits original structure and stripping it of an obvious identity has changed the dynamics of the work so that it’s the time, effect and affection I spent on the original portraits that has been preserved rather than the images. The cells floating round this series represent our beginning, end and all that’s in between. It’s the essence of our relationship that remains. ‘All that is left’ is really about the impact my sister has had on my life, through her love, patience and time for me.

Blood

This image has been built up with layers of card and has been set into layers of recessed card. Oil paint was used to produce the colour of blood and P.V.A was used to unevenly disperse the paint as a contrast to the neatly cut card This piece is about the way we like life to be flow in routines but often it throws you unexpected surprises. ‘Blood’ isn’t supposed to be aesthetically pleasing; it’s supposed to be repellent at the same time as drawing you in.

Cell Structures

‘Cell structures’ is an accumulation of pieces left over from former relief prints that had been cut up and used for other projects. With the help of the wire these prints have fitted together to form a circular structure. It is an example of recycling paper that was destined for the bin.

I’ve worked all day on my statements and getting some more work together for the show. We’re going out for a meal tonight soI thought I’d better work hard and then I might be able to afford the time off.

I think a curry, a beer and time with my kids, hubby and mum is just the thing I need.

Nesting

These boxes contain pebbles that I collected on Brighton beach when I was visiting my sister. When we were children we would collect pebbles with our Mum and later we’d spend time decorating them together. I have decorated these pebbles with patterns that have been inspired by the human body. Nesting is about feeling at home. I’m a very homely person and yet my surrounds don’t matter so much when I’m with the people that are important to me, the people that make me feel settled, comfortable and safe.

Pods

‘Pods’ are a series of work based on blood cells. When I started working on this project the dynamics of my life where in the process of changing. I had been looking forward to my children being more independent so that I could spend more time doing things I enjoyed, but when it did happen I felt completely lost, redundant and very selfish. This changed as I settled into a new chapter of my life. This work is very special to me as it hasn’t just captured a time of insecurities but also a time of development and finding out more about myself.

The pods started as intaglio/relief prints and where developed into 3D objects. Each pod was constructed with the idea of protection, security and comfort in mind. Being formed from paper the structures look quite robust and yet are delicate too.

Stitched Cell Book

This book is based on cells and was produced using the same plate as ‘pods’. Relief printed, cut and sewn back together this book was about the processes used. Once each print was cut the cells were sewn back in and then each print was sewn onto Japanese paper.

The Japanese paper formed the structure to each page and was also sewn together. When laid out it takes on a square format which means opening some pages from the bottom, some from right to left as well as the usual way round.